Victims of Saba Saba Protests Still Nursing Wounds, Demand Justice

  

By Ian Kiprotich

 Two months after security forces violently dispersed protestors during the June 25 Saba Saba demonstrations, several young victims are still recovering from life-altering injuries, while questions continue to mount over the handling of medical evidence and the conduct of law enforcement.

One of the most harrowing cases is that of Maxwell Otieno Odero, who suffered a devastating injury when a tear gas canister exploded in his hand. In an extraordinary attempt to save his arm, doctors performed a rare surgical procedure—temporarily attaching his injured arm to his leg to encourage tissue regeneration. The procedure underscores the severity of the trauma Maxwell endured during what was meant to be a peaceful demonstration.

In Nyeri County, Kelvin Mwangi, who had recently been transferred from Othaya, sustained a gunshot wound during the protests. Another victim, Daniel Murigi, was hit by three bullets. He claims that although the bullets were surgically removed, he was never shown the extracted ammunition—a concern echoed by many of the injured.

“There’s no transparency. We don’t know where the bullets are, and no one is telling us,” said Murigi, still visibly shaken from the experience.

Families of the injured are now calling for accountability and transparency from both hospital authorities and the government. Many are demanding to know why critical evidence such as extracted bullets has not been documented or returned to the victims for investigative purposes.

“We are left in the dark, yet our children are suffering. We need answers,” said one distraught parent outside Kenyatta National Hospital.

Human rights organizations have condemned the violent crackdown on demonstrators and are urging the government to investigate the excessive use of force. With mounting public pressure, legal experts are now calling for independent inquiries into both the police actions and hospital handling of the cases.

.